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LibreOffice downloads on the rise as users look to avoid subscription costs

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Re: LibreOffice downloads on the rise as users look to avoid subscription costs

#151

Post by wright-goes »

jwr wrote: post #25
vunderba wrote: post #2

If I'm evaluating a potential application whose core functionality does not require external resources/servers (Dropbox for example) and they don't at a minimum offer some kind of perpetual fallback license (aka the Jetbrains annual subscription model), then I straight up bounce. Examples of good alternatives - Pixelmator > Photoshop - Davinci Resolve > Premiere - Reaper > Audition I have no interest in renting my to…

> I have no interest in renting my tools. While I appreciate the sentiment, the world where you could use the same software for many years without updates is gone. These days developers have to invest significant time and effort into making sure the software just runs on the constantly updated operating systems and platforms — which costs money on an ongoing basis. Expecting your software to be updated regularly with…

I understand where you're going with performance and feature updates, but what about security updates? Those are often flaws that were present at time of shipping.

If I buy a physical lock that's found to be easily opened with a toothpick once it's in the mass market, I'd expect a recall and it to be fixed. With software, it's even easier to deploy a fix.

There's an expectation that purchased software is usable. A server that's connected to the internet that can be compromised easily is no longer usable. Firms selling software applications have an obligation to provide security updates for the life of the product.

Re: LibreOffice downloads on the rise as users look to avoid subscription costs

#152

Post by ndegruchy »

lauritz wrote: post #86

To my surprise, what used to be called iWork has been my main "Office" replacement for years now. It's good enough, and it's free. I have switched over most of the non-technical people in my life to it, and they have no issues using it (except if they email a .pages document to a Windows user). I especially enjoy Numbers and the way you can arrange multiple tables on a page. It's a different paradigm coming from Goog…

I also like the Pages/Numbers/Keynote suite. Of course, I'm not a heavy user of office apps at home, so large or complex documents aren't something I'm encountering day-to-day. If I needed to build such a beast, I would probably lean on the 'old standbys' like LaTeX and the like. LibreOffice is still a great platform and one I reach for if an oddly formatted document comes to me, but it's not something I'm using for crafting from scratch.

Re: LibreOffice downloads on the rise as users look to avoid subscription costs

#153

Post by Fethbita »

UtopiaPunk wrote: post #144
poglet wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wishing there was a capable Lightroom alternative.

Darktable? https://www.darktable.org/

Also Capture One, they have a perpetual license but the changes they made in 2023 to the perpetual license was quite bad. Now if you buy that version, you’re locked to the version you purchased and don’t get new features.

Re: LibreOffice downloads on the rise as users look to avoid subscription costs

#154

Post by dharmab »

goosedragons wrote: post #149
tombert wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would also like to throw in Lightworks into the “very good Premiere alternatives”. If you are ok with exporting 720p, the free version is pretty capable but if you want higher export resolution it cost money. It has a subscription option, but also a “buy outright” option, and it’s often on sale for half price for the permanent license, ends up costing around ~$200 and it works on Windows, Mac, and Linux. I think it…

I haven't personally used it much, except for a very simple cut but I have heard very good things about KDENLive too.

I've used KDENLive and it's about as comparable to Resolve or Lightworks as Windows Movie Maker is to Premiere.

Re: LibreOffice downloads on the rise as users look to avoid subscription costs

#156

Post by tombert »

HelloNurse wrote: post #117
dijit wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I upvote any option that has a “buy outright” baked in.

You are easy to satisfy. Once upon a time, we complained about undependable applications that, although installed on a computer, dared to "phone home". Before that, we complained about undependable applications that, while not fucking around with remote servers, employed invasive and annoying anti-piracy measures.

I don’t love that Lightworks phones home, but FWIW, Lightworks’ support has been very good when I have contacted. They were very helpful when I needed to migrate a license when I had to swap to another computer.

This might not seem like much but that has been something I have struggled with other companies over.

Re: LibreOffice downloads on the rise as users look to avoid subscription costs

#157

Post by cf100clunk »

carlosjobim wrote: post #136
Yoric wrote: post #105

It's probably also related to the geopolitical context. The US has threatened war at least against Canada, Europe, Panama and China, while clearly eyeing an alliance with Russia, which would in turn threaten many countries bordering Russia. That's a pretty large number of users who don't feel safe using US products anymore.

[flagged]

There is a tide turning, and it has been especially strong in the places mentioned in the parent comment to yours. People at large there are actively label-watching to sort out the U.S. products in favour of others. It is real and it is happening, so I'm led to believe that your exposure to popular sentiment from those places is low. Its not too late for you and others who would wave away international discontent with U.S. products to look around and adjust accordingly. The sooner that your preconcieved reactions i.e. ''dishonesty'' and ''false accusations'' are dissolved, the better for the world.

In the context of this thread, I don't see the choice between LibreOffice and Office365 in the same way I see people putting back the Kentucky Bourbon and grabbing the Scotch or Canadian Rye in its place, to give a common example. A software purchase is strategic, not about instant gratification.

Re: LibreOffice downloads on the rise as users look to avoid subscription costs

#158

Post by js2 »

LeoPanthera wrote: post #18
vunderba wrote: post #2

If I'm evaluating a potential application whose core functionality does not require external resources/servers (Dropbox for example) and they don't at a minimum offer some kind of perpetual fallback license (aka the Jetbrains annual subscription model), then I straight up bounce. Examples of good alternatives - Pixelmator > Photoshop - Davinci Resolve > Premiere - Reaper > Audition I have no interest in renting my to…

You actually can still buy Office. It's quite expensive though. I suppose it always was. https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkID=2113574&CLCID=0x10...

I recently helped my sister upgrade from an extremely old MBP that couldn't upgrade past 10.13 to a pre-retina MBA that couldn't upgrade past macOS 12. Her ancient version of Office from the MBP wouldn't run on the MBA.

I was unable to figure out how to download/purchase a version of Office from MSFT that would run under macOS 12[1]. But in my searching, I ended up here:

https://github.com/alsyundawy/Microsoft-Office-For-MacOS

So she's now running a volume-licensed version of Office 2019. MSFT seems to tolerate not necessarily legitimate volume licensing I guess as these have been floating around the internet forever.

[1] e.g. https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/what-...

Re: LibreOffice downloads on the rise as users look to avoid subscription costs

#159

Post by harvey9 »

Jaxkr wrote: post #155

Probably too late to this thread for anyone to read this, but the real reason for this bump is Microsoft removing WordPad from the latest versions of Windows 11.

Can you explain why you think so? it's not self-evident.

Re: LibreOffice downloads on the rise as users look to avoid subscription costs

#160

Post by shmoobadge »

I ditched MS office last year (for libreoffice) when MS updated their terms to allow them to hoover up all my content, even that stored only on my computer, to train their AI. Subscription costs (which I'd bought a version several years ago) pale by comparison to the wrongness of that.
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